Tag: Happy Valley Pediatrics

Children commonly develop coughs throughout the year with most being a result of the common cold. These types of coughs are caused by viral upper respiratory infections, meaning there are no antibiotics that can help to improve symptoms. Instead, children simply have to wait out the virus, which generally lasts no more than two weeks.

While coughs from the common cold usually aren’t a big deal from a medical standpoint, pediatricians in Glendale and other areas would like to point out that there are a number of other reasons as to why a cough can develop. If your child has a cough different from one developed during a common cold, it is essential that you visit with pediatric doctors for treatment as significant health dangers may be present.

The following are a few examples of conditions that produce coughing symptoms that should be treated by a professional specializing in Happy Valley pediatrics:

Asthma. While it is normal for children with asthma to cough, especially when the sun goes down or during exercise, coughing can become far more exaggerated upon development of a cold. Children with this chronic lung disease are more greatly affected by the common cold virus than those with healthy lungs, with many experiencing deeper, longer coughs as well as wheezing. For this reason, it is important that children with asthma visit with pediatricians in Glendale or other areas if their coughing symptoms increase for any reason.

Bronchitis. This viral upper respiratory infection greatly affects the chest area, and can also lead to wheezing, which can be especially dangerous in babies and toddlers. If your baby has a cold, always be on the lookout for the following signs: problems nursing or sipping formula from a bottle; deep or fast paced breathing; and a wet cough. If your baby has any of these issues, he or she may have developed bronchitis, and should visit with pediatric doctors immediately to help relieve symptoms.

Whopping Cough. This illness begins similarly to that of a common cold, but instead of getting better throughout the weeks, the cough actually becomes worse. Children that develop whopping cough will cough numerous times in a row, often losing their breath. As such, they will take a huge “whopping” breath at the end of a coughing episode to help quickly get air to their lungs. While whopping cough can be dangerous for children and adults alike, it is especially dangerous for babies. Babies that develop whopping cough often turn blue as they are unable to find a chance to breath, leading to potentially fatal outcomes. To help avoid the development of whopping cough, it is highly recommended that parents take their children to pediatricians in Glendale for a whooping cough vaccination.

If your child experiences coughing symptoms for any of the above reasons as well as others different from the common cold, visit with pediatric doctors as soon as possible for diagnoses and treatment.

At Pediatrix, one of the top pediatricians in Glendale and the surrounding areas, our pediatric doctors provide excellent medical care for the health and wellbeing of children. In addition to pediatric doctors that can treat a variety of illnesses that produce coughing symptoms, our pediatric allergists in Phoenix are able to provide treatments for coughs caused specifically by allergies. To make an appointment with our friendly, experienced pediatric doctors to alleviate your symptoms, call Pediatrix at (602) 866-0550 or contact us online.

Pediatric allergists in Phoenix and other cities throughout the country have noticed a steady rise in the number of individuals with food allergies. This is especially true in children with 1 in every 13 individuals under the age of 18 developing an allergy to common foods, such as peanuts, eggs, wheat and shellfish.

In order to help parents better understand how to deal with allergies as they relate to their children, pediatricians in Glendale and the greater Phoenix area would like to share this list of common allergy concerns addressed in appointments with patients:

Withholding Potentially Allergenic Foods. Many parents have heard that delaying the introduction of potentially allergenic foods until the age of 1, 2 or 3 helps to prevent the development of food allergies. This, however, is not true. The American Academy of Pediatrics and most pediatric doctors do not recommended this measure for allergy prevention.

Food IgE Testing Panels. These testing panels are used to test for specific food allergies, but many pediatric allergists in Phoenix advise against these because they aren’t always accurate. In many cases, false positives occur, which leads to healthy foods being unnecessarily removed from a child’s diet. This causes a huge headache for both the child and their family, and also reduces overall nutritional value. Rather than trusting completely in the test, it is recommended that you visit with pediatricians in Glendale or the surrounding area for a thorough history and physical examination.

Epinephrine Devices. If your child has an allergy, Happy Valley pediatrics offices recommend that children and their caretakers carry the new epipen packs, which include two injection devices. Two devices are recommended as many anaphylactic reactions include a second phase, which requires another injection. It is recommended that children be carefully monitored for four to six hours after the first injection to make sure that the allergic reaction has been halted. Also make sure that you renew your epipens once a year to ensure that they will be effective in the event of an allergy emergency.

In order to best handle food allergies in your children, consider the above points, and visit with a pediatric allergist in Phoenix or other qualified pediatric doctors for an exam.

At Pediatrix, our pediatric doctors are highly experienced and knowledgeable about food allergies. During your appointment, the pediatric doctors will thoroughly review your child’s health history and provide an examination. Upon discovery of a food allergy, our pediatric allergists in Phoenix will then provide you with work-up and education as well as management tools for your child’s newfound allergies. To schedule an appointment with one of our quality pediatric allergists in Phoenix, call (602) 866-0550 or contact us online.